Most read: the rise of the secretary of state's husband, the victory of a fired psychiatrist, and a multimillionaire who is even richer

A new wave of promotions within the public sector has sparked controversy, with one notable case involving the husband of the health minister’s deputy, who reportedly advanced five salary grades. The National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ), led by SD member B ranko Gabrovec, confirmed that 11 individuals were promoted under the revised salary system, including Boštjan Marinko, the husband of Deputy Minister Vesna Marinko. According to the law on common principles of the public sector salary system (ZSTSPJS), these promotions were based on the first paragraph of Article 22. Marinko, who was barely employed at NIJZ, saw his salary grade increase significantly. His LinkedIn profile disappeared shortly after questions were raised regarding his promotion and employment status. This has fueled speculation and criticism over the transparency of such advancements. Meanwhile, another high-profile case involves ex-psychiatrist Andrej Kastelic, who was dismissed from the Ljubljana University Psychiatric Clinic (UPK Ljubljana) in May 2024. His office door was sealed with a long chain, requiring staff to break through a side wall to install it. Witnesses claim Kastelic was nearly retired when he was accused of criminal behavior. He was dismissed by longtime director Bojan Zala, whom Kastelic believed to be a friend. Kastelic won the first round of legal proceedings against the psychiatric clinic. Although the verdict is not yet final, if it becomes enforceable, the clinic would have to reinstate him as head of the Drug Dependence Treatment Center and pay back wages from June 1, 2024, approximately €100,000, plus reimbursement of legal costs. In a separate incident, the damaged vehicles involved in President Nataša Pirc Musar's accident were not removed by Dars, the contracted road service provider. Despite official statements indicating that Dars handles vehicle removals in such cases, the president's cars remained on the scene. Police stated they informed the Road Safety Agency (AMZS), which then directed the nearest Dars contractor to handle the transport. Meanwhile, healthcare entrepreneur Diana Dimnik has further increased her wealth. Last year, Finance Manager magazine estimated her net worth at €73.5 million, placing her among Slovenia’s wealthiest. Her company Mediasi recorded a clean profit of €4.3 million last year. Over the past decade, Mediasi has received around €206 million from the public healthcare system, according to Erarj data. These developments highlight ongoing concerns about financial disparities and transparency in both public and private sectors.